The younger men would to have proven that they were actually better than Plushenko in a competition first. So either Russian nationals or Euros 2014. He's not giving a lot of opportunities for other Russian men to beat him and it is totally unlikely anyone could beat him. Not just on PCS but also TES in a lot of cases. Any younger Russian male entry might have practice in Sochi in prep for 2018 but they can't think that! 2014-2018 just too many things can happen.

Plushenko is and will always be the model for Russian Men's FS
which I think is one of the reasons why they are stagnant and are not able to make a new good crop for a decade now because they are molding the skaters as
a Plushenko 2.0, hopefully some of the new kids will carve their own by 2018, its the only way to break the dependence on Zhenya

This is really unfair. While it sucks that Plushenko (as Russia's possible one entry) might be taking away a spot from one of the up and coming Russian guys, or even Menshov (who has not competed at an Olympics yet), to ask for the rules to be changed for them and not other countries is ridiculous. It sets a bad precedent. If the ISU says yes then host nations in other future years, such as 2018, will expect the same treatment.

I think it's a ridiculous request and if it isn't denied will really disappoint me, I´m already so jaded with things I've seen behind the scenes that I think this is the sort of thing that might push me off the sport altogether. It's all about Pluschenko. It's the Olympics, they don't need Pluschenko to sell out that arena, what they do need is to hedge their bets and have a back up male (singles and team event). To have the balls to ask for this leaves a really bad taste in my mouth, especially as this has become news instead of being laughed at and dismissed immediately which is cause for concern imo.

I think it's a ridiculous request and if it isn't denied will really disappoint me, I´m already so jaded with things I've seen behind the scenes that I think this is the sort of thing that might push me off the sport altogether. It's all about Pluschenko. It's the Olympics, they don't need Pluschenko to sell out that arena, what they do need is to hedge their bets and have a back up male (singles and team event). To have the balls to ask for this leaves a really bad taste in my mouth, especially as this has become news instead of being laughed at and dismissed immediately which is cause for concern imo.

There is probably no hope to have a back up man ready this season to be able to get 2 spots at Worlds, so if they can get 2 spots automatically, no need to risk Plushenko to go to the Worlds. But let us face it, even if this request is denied and at the end of the season they could only have one spot, Plushenko is the one who will take the spot. If he is healthy, no one in Russia at the moment can beat him.

Yes it seems all about Plushenko but actually all about Russia. Yes they do not need Plushenko to sell the ticket but they need him to make Russian single men standing. And make the team gold more realistic. So it is really in Russia's interest to ask for it. Let them ask, I do not think ISU will grant it. And if they grant it, so what, other federations can ask the same or other things. In the Worlds, people do not need "face", they want result!